“Where have you been?” She winced the second the words were out of her mouth, but she didn’t try to take them back. She understood that she had broken his trust, but he broke hers first and she only ignored him for a short amount of time. Not that he had ignored her, exactly. But he had definitely stepped back.
“Kalen’s orders,” he uttered quietly. “A Tether in pain, healing from a soul infraction … you shouldn’t be able to tear that person away from their mate with a towline and a tank. Since I didn’t leave your side at the hospital, he wanted to make it seem like it would be easy for us to be away from each other. I didn’t want to tell you because you struggle to ask for help as it is, so adding a reason you shouldn’t contact me seemed like a bad idea. I wanted to still be here for you if you needed me.”
“Oh.” She halted again, wanting to prolong their conversation.
She turned back like she was pausing to survey the view from halfway up Alpha Hill. The breeze drifted through her hair, the desert flowers vivid in the afternoon light, the academy appearing calm, though she could hear music playing over outdoor speakers in the direction of Dorm A. He paused with her, his fingers dancing lightly up her forearm before sliding back down to her wrist. He seemed to want to take her hand, to fit his fingers through hers, but he didn’t.
“If you needed me, all you had to do was say so, Illy.” His voice was gruff, but soft, like he was trying not to speak too loudly. “Or you could just come to the dorm. You’re always welcome.”
“Not always.” She forced a laugh. “What if you were with Wallis?”
“She’s not allowed inside the dorm. Mikel said her scent is too strong.”
Isobel blinked, taken aback. “Seriously? What does she smell like?”
“A would-be rapist.”
Isobel winced. “What does she actually smell like?”
“A group of kids having a craft day. Loud and messy.” He gave her a sideways look as they started climbing the stairs again.
She laughed hollowly. “How can someone smell loud? Or messy?”
He shrugged. “Same way you can smell messy … but in a good way.”
“What’s the good way?”
“Forget I said that.”
“Okay, so … the other … um, girlfriends? What do they smell like?” she asked, avoiding his eyes. “James and Ellis?”
“Newspapers, and popcorn.”
“Newspapers aren’t so bad,” she said. “Gabriel could be into that.”
“Musty newspapers,” he corrected.
“And popcorn? What’s wrong with that?”
“Burnt popcorn.”
She rolled her eyes. “I find that hard to believe. You all smell … amazing. Not to mention Wallis has already been inside Dorm A. I was there.”
“You were more than there. You were the one who invited them to stay. And people’s scents change depending on your feelings toward them. If a person disgusts you, their scent will evolve into something that disgusts you.”
They had reached the top of the stairs and Isobel was saved from answering as she kicked the last stair in shock, her eyes widening at the number of students who had gathered around Alpha Lake. They were spread out on picnic chairs or blankets, all of them facing a giant projection screen that had been rolled from the rooftop of Dorm A to cover a portion of the front of the building.
Ironside staff were manning snack booths off to the side, and there was a small, roped-off area right in the prime position directly across from the screen, a wooden platform set up to house eight cosy bucket chairs, several cameras on tripods facing the seating area to catch even the slightest whisper.
“What … the heck?” Isobel muttered, trying to take it all in. “Who organised this?”
“The officials.” Theodore shrugged casually, disinterested in the whole scene … which for Theodore, could have meant absolutely anything.
“They’re hoping for a show,” Isobel whispered, raising her brows at the platform in the middle of it all. There were even dimmed spotlights set up, a soft glow haloing each individual chair.
Moses pushed through the crowd, stopping before them. His nose crinkled in a way that would have been adorable if his expression wasn’t painted thickly in aggravation … and if it wasn’t Moses.
“You’re both late,” he snapped, his darkening eyes drifting over her figure in the shift dress like he couldn’t help himself before he noticed the two haphazard bundles of flowers in her arms. “I thought Sigmas were supposed to be generous.”
“I thought Alphas were supposed to be cool,” she said stiffly.
His lips twisted, flashing the briefest shadow of a smile before he took the flowers off her. “Relax, Carter.” He rolled his eyes at her sound of protest. “I’m just leaving them on the platform.” He turned away, striding off toward the roped-off area.
Theodore’s grip wound softly above her elbow, tugging her toward the snack booths. Isobel spotted Wallis making a beeline for Theodore, her attention fixed on him, her mouth a tight line of determination. He let out a soft sound of frustration and plastered on a welcoming smile—which was several inches more than anything Isobel could muster—before he released Isobel.
“There you are!” Wallis looped her arms around his neck and tried to kiss him, but he turned so that her lips landed on his cheek instead.
Isobel busied herself with the containers of different candy laid out before her, scooping little squares of caramel-coated chocolate into a paper cone and pretending she wasn’t listening to the fake couple an arm’s length away.
“I’ve been waiting here for an hour,” Wallis complained. “We’re wasting valuable camera time.”
If Isobel didn’t know that Wallis had sexually assaulted Sato, she might have thought that Wallis’ voice sounded husky and alluring. Instead, it made her skin crawl.
“The chairs are just for … the birthday group,” Theodore returned gently. “They actually have our names on them.”
“I’ll sit in your lap,” she purred.
Isobel peeked at him from beneath her lashes. He did a good job of looking adoring and at ease, but his sweet scent had soured, and his discomfort was reaching out to her, hammering away on her chest and asking for acknowledgment.
She was just about to open her mouth and say something stupid when Reed appeared, wrapping his arm around Theodore’s shoulders and leaning down to stage-whisper to Wallis.
“How much do you really want to piss off Theo’s adoring fans, hm? They’ve waited years to have an hours-long live session of his disgustingly handsome face at close range, and you want to block their view?” He shook his head, whistling a tone of warning. “Way to get yourself cancelled, Wally.”
“It’s Wallis,” she said, appearing shocked that Reed was talking to her, and even sort of knew her name.
“Right. Enjoy your night.” He dragged Theodore off, and Isobel quickly stepped away, just in case Wallis decided to latch onto her instead.
She looped around, keeping an eye out for Kilian or Niko before stopping before the candy booth again and filling up her paper cone with more chocolate caramels.
“Um … Carter?” the woman behind the candy stall asked nervously.